Nurturing Children
# First and only Waldorf kindergarten in the West Bank.
An Education That Heals
At House of Hope, we cultivate an environment that dismantles a foundation of fear and stress. In its place, we provide building blocks set to empower and embolden children to recognize their own ability to create a better world both within themselves, and around them.
First and only Waldorf kindergarten in the West Bank.
Recognized by the Palestinian Ministry of Education as the first and only Waldorf kindergarten in the West Bank, House of Hope fosters curiosity, empathy and innovation through trauma-informed education. A focus on art, music expression and therapeutic body movement enables children to access new expressions of positive emotion and nurtures self-esteem.
Addressing Childhood Toxic Stress
Regional violence and poverty are hallmarks of childhood for young Palestinians and are considered detrimental to social, emotional and physical health by all leading U.S. and international health organizations.
Research shows that toxic stress in childhood:
- Provokes psychiatric disorders
- Affects brain development
- Interferes with executive brain function
- Alters gene expression
- Hinders prosocial behavior development or positive actions prompted by empathy
Despite the prevalence of trauma and toxic stress in the West Bank, the Palestinian public education system is ill-equipped to address its effects. House of Hope is filling the gap by delivering trauma-informed, holistic education.
Access to education for students living in poverty.
Children in the House of Hope community live below the poverty line and access to trauma-informed education is often not possible. All of our students receive either a partial or full scholarship to attend House of Hope.
For children like Amera Shweki (pictured left), the scholarship is a lifeline. A 5 year old kindergartener at House of Hope, Amera has vision and liver health issues that only add layers of stress to both her own and her family’s lives. Amera’s family income is needed to provide her the medical care she needs, with little left over to provide the education that could help her flourish. Through her scholarship, Amera has access to therapeutic early education that provides healing well beyond her physical health.
By helping children like Amera develop healthy coping skills, House of Hope inspires communal wellness and resiliency in Palestine for generations to come.
